We hope Ashraf's suggestion is serious

The 14-Party alliance has sought specific proposal from the BNP on an interim arrangements for holding the next general elections. From this and from the statements of the BNP on the issue recently we detect an area of convergence of ideas on the seemingly intractable issue of how the next parliamentary elections are going to be held.
The impression that we get from what the senior leaders of the two alliances are saying, notwithstanding the reported stand articulated by the PM, that the caretaker system is not in the reckoning and that the next election would be held under the current government, that neither of the parties are averse to discussions on the issue. And the BNP, if we read correctly, is willing to call the arrangement by any name as long as it was non-party.
That being the case there is that sliver of chance that the two parties must seize to expand upon. However, we feel that even in the latest statements of the two alliances their is a hint of conditionality, the AL insisting on the BNP's coming up with proposals on the interim arrangement while the BNP is saying that they would be willing to commit in writing provided the AL agreed first to not hold the elections under the it.
We feel it is not for the AL to ask for suggestions, because it is the AL and not the BNP that did away with the caretaker system. And it should fix or replace the system that it had done away with. And we believe that both the parties are alive to the outcome should they fail to resolve the stalemate.
One would not be remiss to suggest that the expectations of the public is that this issue be addressed and resolved forthwith because in it lies the seeds of future flux in the country. And one would not be wrong either to suggest that a credible and acceptable election can be conducted only by a non-party dispensation.
It is time to dispense with preconditions for talks. There is an accord of thoughts which must be used to tide over the likely impasse. We cannot brook failure. And, as it has been always our stand, the ruling party must take the first step.